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Article summarizing Cpl. Reg. A.C. Wilson of the Bradford OPP detachment duties in Bradford; also includes his farewell party and information on his wife's efforts in town.

Event Date : Saturday, July 27, 1957
Event Type : Death

Description : The end came suddenly for Bradford's veteran, and well-known townsman, Benjamin Briton (B. B.) Collings, last Saturday morning. During the past year Mr. Collings had shown some signs of his advanced years, but the firm step, the indifference to weather conditions, and the ready reply to all greetings, remained with him to the last. He had not been well for a week or more, but on Thursday he was downstairs in his home and returned to his room unaided. Friday he acknowledged he was tired and stayed in bed and on Saturday morning he was dead. He never had pain. He kept going to the last, and just quit. B. B. Collings was looking forward to the Centennial celebration and meeting old friends, and to many who are returning, Bradford has lost one of the interests for them, in his passing. Few will disagree that he was the most colourful character in Bradford. He knew everyone, and everyone knew him. He had a greeting for everyone, a greeting which seldom was particularly complimentary, but because it was B. B. Collings' remark, it was accepted with a laugh. Few days passed that those whose duties caused them to be about the street, did not have a few words with B. B.
"Mr. Collings was born in Bradford on August 9, 1876 the youngest member of a family of sixteen. From childhood days he was working. He told stories of the days when Amsterdam was a thriving village with its mills and he was an errand boy down there. The Collings family was associated with the Holland Marsh and did a profitable business in cutting marsh hay and selling this hay for packing and mattress making. B. B. decided that if this hay was worth Toronto mattress makers transporting it to Toronto he better get into the business. In the 1890's he went to Toronto and learned the trade and came back to Bradford and opened a little mattress making factory here where he employed some of the lacrosse players of the day. Today it is common practice for sport enthusiasts to give employment to star players but B. B. Collings began that nearly 60 years ago. He then went into the furniture and undertaking business taking a course in embalming. Then back to the marsh hay business and commercial fishing and his final business venture was the draining of what was named the Colbar Marsh area a big portion of which is now Federal Farms' gardens and in this he was singularly successful. This last project was accomplished after he was in his seventies.Mr. Collings and his men were recognized in the Lake Simcoe district as an able life-saving crew. Their business as commercial fishermen took them to all parts of the lake and the river and they were familiar with the water. Few accidents or tragedies have occured on the river or lake to which Mr. Collings and his men were not called to lend their help and they have many rescues to their credit.Mr. Collings was always keenly interested in sport particularly lacrosse and had served in official capacity on various lacrosse clubs. But few sporting events occurred in Bradford throughout the years which he did not attend whether hockey ball or lacrosse.Mr. Collings served on the Bradford Public Utilities Commission for several years and also on Bradford Board of Education.In September 1902 Mr. Collings married Etta May Waldruff of Bradford who survives him with their family of two daughters and one son namely Bernice (Mrs. Gordon Crutcher) of Thornhill; Kathleen (Mrs. Ken Blevins) of Toronto and Norman E. of Bradford. Five grandchildren also survive: Gordon Stephen and Tony Crutcher Tom Collings and Mary Jane Collings. Of the family of sixteen only two survive Dan Collings of Bradford and Libby (Mrs. Selby) of Eston Saskatchewan.The funeral was held from Bradford United Church yesterday afternoon. The services were taken by Rev. F. G. MacTavish assisted by Rev. H. P. Maitland of the Presbyterian Church and Rev. H. G. Blake of Toronto. Interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The pallbearers were C. T. S. Evans, A. L. Veale, Fred Collings, Roy Collings, Phil Latchman and James R. Webb."

From the reverse of picture:
"On September 28, 1958, an historical plaque commemorating Sir William Mulock was unveiled in the village of Bond Head, Simcoe County. This plaque is one of a series being erected throughout the province by the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario. Shown standing around the plaque, left to right, are Mr. Herbert Hughes, Councillor of West Gwillimbury; Mr. C.T.S. Evans, Q.C.; Mr. Arthur Evans, warden of Simcoe County; Mr. Percy Selby, Reeve of West Gwillimbury Township; the Rev. C.R.P. Hearn who dedicated the plaque; Mr. William T. Mulock, great-great-grandson of Sir William; the Hon. W. Earl Rowe, M.P.; Prof. T.F. McIlwraith, a member of the Historic Sites Board; Mr. Thomas H. Mulock, great-grandson of Sir William; Mr. George Lisk, Reeve of Tecumseth Township; and Mr. Murray Mills, Chairman of the Tourist and Industrial Association of Simcoe County."

Medallion presented in honour of the incorporation of Bradford by C.T.S Evans (Reeve of Bradford), in 1960.

"Lavish was the praise Monday night as approximately 200 Bradford residents gathered at the community centre to pay tribute to nine firefighters who have each given more than 30 years of service to the town..."

From the back of the photograph:
"On Saturday, June 5, 1976, and historical plaque commemorating the "Dutch Settlement of Holland Marsh" was unveiled at the Old Schoolhouse in the village of Ansnorveldt. This plaque was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, an agency within the Ministry of Culture and Recreation.
Shown from left to right following the unveiling ceremony are: Mr. Mat Valk, representative of the Ministry of Agriculture Muck Research Station, Bradford; Professor William Ormsby, representative of the Ontario Heritage Foundation; Mr. G.E. Wright, York region Municipality Chairman; Mr. Sinclair Stevens, M.P. (York-Simcoe); His Worship Tale Everhuis, Burgomaster of the Town of Nieuwe Pekela, the Netherlands; Mr. Charles T.S. Evans, long-time legal advisor to the Holland Marsh community; Mrs. Margaret Britnell, Head of the King Township Council; Mrs. and Mr. M. Van Dyken, two of the original Dutch settlers; Mr. William Hodgson, M.P.P. (York-North); the Reverend Max J. Lise; Mr. John Van Dyk, another original settler; Mr. Walter Horlings, a prominent resident of the Marsh; and Mr. John Boneschansker, President of the Senior Citizens' Club."

"Bradford's 1977-78 council was sworn in at a ceremony at the community centre Monday evening. At left, new Mayor Roy Gordon accepts the gavel from retiring mayor Joe Magani. Mr. Magani said he thought the gavel was given to him personally, but found out by reading the inscription that it was donated to the town. At right, Bradford lawyer Charles Evans conducts Mayor Gordon through the oath of office. In the centre photo is the council which will serve with Mayor Gordon. Members are (from left) Councillors Rick Wright, John Zima, Zyg Fenik, and Sandy Hudson; Deputy-reeve Milt Hambly; and Reeve Ken Wood."

"Joe Magani (second from left) was honored Saturday night for his work as Bradford's mayor for 16 years. With his wife, Doris, he heard tributes from long-time friends such as Brad Walker (left) and Charles Evans (right), and received gifts that included the gavel-laden plaque from the Bradford and District Chamber of Commerce. The chamber organized the big night, held at the Black Soil restaurant."

" West Gwillimbury council has nominated Earl Rowe of Newton Robinson to receive one of the jubilee medals being minted by the federal government in recognition of Queen Elizabeth's 25 years on the throne. Mr. Rowe is a former MP and MPP and he was Ontario's lieutenant-governor from 1963 to 1968. Bradford council also recently nominated lawyer Charles Evans, former Warden of Simcoe County to receive a jubilee medal."

BRADFORD - Life-long Bradford resident and lawyer C.T.S. "Charlie" Evans last week shed further light on the history of the old convent on Barrie St.

The convent it currently the object of a legal tussle over ownership between the town and the contractor Fred Picavet.

Mr. Evans said he recalls being told by Kate Stevenson, the daughter of 19th century Bradford lawyer John MacLean Stevenson, that her father constructed the house based on plans of a Scots castle.

A CASTLE
"I recall her telling me that at one time he had gone to Scotland and had come back with plans of a castle and that he had this house built according to that plan," Mr. Evans said.

According to his personal records, Mr. Evans noted that Mr. Stevenson had been a Master of the Masonic Lodge in Bradford in 1877, a post usually held by older men.

"So hazarding a guess I would have to say that that house would be 150 years old," he surmised.

FIRST WAR
He said that the Lukes family, who owned the Bradford flour mill in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, likely moved into the house around the beginning of the First World War.

"Dick Crake bought the Lukes' house (where the Anzil Plaza now stands) around that time and the Lukes moved into what everyone now knows as the old convent."

Mr. Evans said a check could be made in the registry office in Barrie to determine when the property was originally purchased by Mr. Stevenson.